We are staying at a hotel near the end of the Red Line on DC’s subway system, so it was a sweet commute into the heart of the capital today. We were in the city just a little after eight, beginning our long day of discovery.
Our first sight was the Washington Monument, which is now closed because the earthquake they had last week put some major cracks in the walls and it’s been deemed unsafe. It will be a long time before it’s open to the public again, I’m sure, but it’s beauty is best enjoyed from afar anyway, not inside. Kaleb was a little bummed about it, but he saw plenty of other places that made him soon forget.
Kaleb signed up for the Junior Ranger program right away so we then spent the next six and a half hours walking around the Mall, following him from place to place acquiring all the data he needed in order to qualify for the program. I think it’s the most work he’s ever done to get the badge, but I know the information he learned will stick better because he had to hunt for it.
We walked down to the Lincoln Memorial, but the reflecting pond in front of it was under construction so it was one more thing Kaleb moaned about not being as he expected or anticipated based on the sight he’s seen in books and movies. Oh well.
The Ranger at the Lincoln Memorial was very informative, helpful and entertaining so he told us some tidbits we wouldn’t have otherwise known. He also pointed out a crack in the top of one of the columns from the earthquake he just noticed this morning, so after he reports that to the authorities, I wouldn’t be surprised if they shut down the Lincoln Memorial, too. He told us last week the Monument was filled with tourists when the earthquake shook and he was sure the top was going to fall down on people and everyone went running down the steps screaming. Glad we missed that.
The Vietnam Vet Memorial wall is very near the Lincoln Memorial so we walked on over there and explained a few tidbits to Kaleb about that tragic war. He had lots of questions today about war, politics, the economy and politicians. I guess this trip has already accomplished the goal of peaking his interest in the whole “social studies” arena.
The WWII Memorial and the Korean War Memorial weren’t here when we were last here 20 years ago, and the MLK Memorial just opened up last week, so it was nice to see those. We walked around the “Basin” from the MLK, Jr. Memorial over to the Jefferson Monument with a long stop at the FDR Memorial and were so thankful for the lack of humidity today, because of the hurricane, and the temperature was downright comfortable. We probably walked 15 miles today and didn’t overheat once.
We didn’t stop to have lunch until after three, and we’d missed breakfast, so we were running on empty. Kaleb wanted to eat at Subway, since we took the subway into the city, and we saw on a map there was one in the Ronald Reagan building, so we headed over there once Kaleb completed his Jr. Ranger program and got his badge. We had to show ID and go through a metal detector just to eat at Subway, since it was in a food court in a federal building. I couldn’t believe it.
The White House was nearby so we stopped there for a quick photo. Tours are no longer possible, ever since 9/11, so we had to be happy with a view of the outside. Then it was on to our first Smithsonian Museum – the History one. Kaleb wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of it, but then we couldn’t get him out of there and we were the last one’s to leave at 7:30 when they closed. We saw all the exhibits and as we exited we were treated to a beautiful sunset over the Mall. It was magical.
A quick subway ride back to the hotel and our 15 hour day was done and we’re hoping for a good night’s sleep so we can do it all again tomorrow. We still have several museums and Congress to visit so our days will fly by but the memories will certainly linger.
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